Company Car change

[SMIFTER]

I'm thinking of Going down to one family car to save cash - which means the roadster has to go<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :( --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /frown.gif ALT=":("><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
<br>
Opinions required ladies and gents on a<br>
<br>
...............Skoda Octavia vRS (the old shape one - around a 2002 plate).<br>
<br>
G

<p></p><i></i>

[Carsreunited]

If you can get hold of one, my mate had a 52 plate Golf Celebration model with the Recaro interior, 18" alloys, Brembo callipers, TDI PD150. He took it to a GTI owners club RR shoot out and came close to the top. It was tested at 178bhp and something stupid like 270lb Torque. It was really quick and still returned 45mpg when being thrashed.<br>
<br>


<p></p><i></i>

[SMIFTER]

I'm on about the 1.8 20v Turbo Petrol. 180BHP as standard (remaps to 212bhp for £400). I'm not a fan of oil burners, I like cars that rev.<br>
<br>
Like one of these badboys - This ones nice but probably going to go for a bit more than my budget (and I need to sell the toaster first).<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1" target="top">Octavia vRS</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
<br>
This isnt advertising in anyway whatsoever but if someone was in the market for a very nice 2004 Smart Roadster with 22K miles on the clock and say they had around seven and three quarter grand (ono) to spend I might know where one is that might be up for grabs shortly. For a town car its the absolute mutts nuts. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
<br>
G<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>


<p><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.smifter1971.pwp.blueyonder.c ... >Smifter's Dolomite Sprint Website</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
<br>
Featherweight 1974 Dolomite Sprint - Soon to be XE'd, NOS'd, Megasquirted and 5 linked Lash up to scare myself (and my wallet) senseless<br>
<br>
2004 Smart Roadster (company car!!) - 698cc of turbo'd adrenaline fuelled rollerskate - destined to classic status thanks to Daimler Chrysler bean counters.<br>
<br>
1997 Audi A4 2.6 to chill out after the above and fill with baby products.....<br>
<br>
2005 Trek 1400 (ok its not a car but still fast) - <br>
a bit like Lance Armstrong but slower and fatter</p><i></i>

[tinweevil]

I'd have had a pre VW Skoda if I lived in warmer climes, tough as old boots. Good enough for Stig Blomqvist, good enough for me.<br>
<br>
Take a deep breath.<br>
<br>
There is no force on earth, no torture great enough, no bribe big enough to ever convince me to even entertain the thought of possibly cogitating the idea of venturing into the merest consideration of EVER owning something that has more VWness about it than the letters written on a scrap of paper in the glovebox! <br>
<br>
Nothing about the car but every parts dept I've used has been manned by creatures with the IQ of a daffodil and who to a man couldn't give a fook. The list of f-wit centers includes one in Bristol and one south of Chippenham.<br>
<br>
I wish I could buy the toaster off you tho.<br>
<br>
You did ask for opinions!<br>
<br>
Tinweevil

<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
39 anorak points on the Nicholas scale<br>
</p><i></i>

[SMIFTER]

Er, thanks!<br>
<br>
VW can't be much more of a bunch of muppets than the Mercedes/Smart Dealers are. Don't even get me started on rip off servicing (£130 for an oil change! £300 for a spark plug service!) or the pathetic 2 year warranty, poster paint finish or how they have screwed over customers resale values by flogging off the excess stock for 20% 12 months after the car was released. Grrrrrrr. The only good thing is the car is fantastic and they had a very fit sales girl<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
<br>
Your opinion is valued - problem is I hate modern fords and vauxhalls, I used to love peugeots but they've lost the plot now and don't know what else to get thats fast, fairly economical and can carry a family in comfort, what I really want is another Audi as our A4 has been fantastic but I need a newer car to justify my employer giving me a generous car allowance. Sadly the newer Audi's seem to be either gargantuan mileage ex taxi cars or way out of my price range.<br>
<br>
A work contact used to have a vRS, I'll ask him in the week what he really thought - guess what he replaced it with - a Smart Roadster!!! The Octavia scores pretty well on peachorlemon.co.uk though excepting the occasional coil pack failure which happens on all the VAG 1.8 20v engines.<br>
<br>
Go on, treat your self to a roadster, you'll never stop grinning, I'll do a good deal and it needs a good home<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START ;) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/wink.gif ALT=";)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :rolleyes --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/eyes.gif ALT=":rolleyes"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
<br>
G

<p></p><i></i>

[the observer]

My first car (14 years ago) was a Dolly 1300. I've always had at least one Dolly since, but along the way my "everyday" cars have included a Mini Clubman Estate, a Cortina estate, an Audi A4, a V6 Alfa 156, a Jaguar Sovereign and a diesel Golf. This month has been my absolute moment of clarity where I've decided the way forward is to just have two Dolomite Sprints! What other car could anyone need?<br>
<br>
Ian

<p></p><i></i>

[SMIFTER]

My employer is telling me I must use my car allowance to buy a car equivalent to one of the company cars.<br>
<br>
A Dolly Sprint woulndt do - its far better!

<p></p><i></i>

[tinweevil]

Many many moons ago I had a 316 beemer, the poverty spec 3. It had a full service history which I was able to keep up on a students budget. I'm going back a way mind. One summer out of uni I was working in a wiring shop to fill the coffers. The foreman took his new escort eclipse in for a service (remember them? had all the trim and appearance of the clitoris car but a lawnmower engine), he paid three figures more than I'd just paid for the equivalent service. <br>
<br>
That bm was easily the best car ownership experience I've had. A large part of that was down to the dealership near home being very sympathetic to private owners. Fleet managers don't give a stuff about cost so dealerships get used to changing anything that's showing signs of wear. A sympathetic one will take into consideration that a car in private hands might do in a year what a fleet car does in 2 months. e.g a set of pads with 20k left on 'em will be changed no question for the fleet owner. Cronks would call us about such things and give us the choice. We had three 3 series in the family at one point entirely due to that dealerships service dept. <br>
<br>
One of the last services my 316 got was at a shiny new dealership that opened a few doors down from where I worked. They weren't bad but there's no way my memories of that car would be so rosy if I'd had their level of service for the 5 years I ran it. I specifically explained that I wished to be called mid way through the service so I could make yes/no decisions about all the warning level things they found. They didn't, 'not policy'. But they did oh so kindly offer to have the car back in next week to take off some of the same bits again and fit the new parts they had on the shelf all along. Perfectly good car service and perfectly ordinary customer service.<br>
<br>
Nuts to the make all euroboxes are the same anyway. I'd ask around about the dealerships in your area. Go in some on a Saturday morning and see how long people wait at the parts desk. Talk to the service desk people, have they got time for you? Do you have to book weeks, months or years in advance to get a loaner when yours is in for service?<br>
<br>
Good luck<br>
<br>
Julian<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>


<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
39 anorak points on the Nicholas scale<br>
</p><i></i>

[alun n]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...<br>
<br>
<br>
Alfa 166 Mate! <br>
<br>
<br>
Truly one of the most comfortable and luxurious and slightly individual cars I've owned or driven. Picked mine up for £3k at 5 years old (28.5k new!). I've since put 20k on it and so far apart from a cambelt service have only spent £120 on an exhaust. It still has the same tyres I bought it with and theres a few miles left in them too.<br>
<br>
2.5L is the one to go for, manual would be fantastic.<br>
<br>
All the bells and whistles, huge boot and plenty of go. My only critism is mine has no cup holders...<br>
<br>
Skoda...at the end of the day, its still a skoda!

<p></p><i></i>

[Paul]

"Skoda...at the end of the day, its still a skoda!" erm no....<br>
<br>
dont buy an alfa, they drive well but the quality is poor. i had to replace a radiator on a 146 when it yas 2 years old because it was rotten.<br>
<br>
Peugeot 307sw? triumph dolomite?<br>
<br>
Paul

<p></p><i></i>

[MaddMart]

Octavias share a lot of bitz with the Audi A4.

<p>Martin<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.dolomitesprint.com/" target="top">www.dolomitesprint.com</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--></p><i></i>

[alun n]

Its still a Skoda because although its made on the same production lines as the equivalent Passat/A4 etc and shares many common parts its cheaper to buy and its value plummets by comparison due to the stigma of driving a skoda. If VAG decided to remarket the FSO Polonez I doubt that would catch on either!<br>
<br>
By comparison, BMW cherry picked the Mini to reinvent, had they chosen the Allegro I doubt it would have fared so well!

<p></p><i></i>

[george]

i bet the octavias bits (a4) are trim bits<br>
but they are much better than the old rear engined ones of bygone years and they still were top of the class in rallys in they're own class then

<p></p><i></i>

[george]

alun why not .....<br>
what about the moskvich's , wartburgs<br>
lets have all the eastern european gems back on the roads

<p></p><i></i>

[LewisK]

I've always wanted a Tatra 613 - can't get cooler (?) than a pair of electronically programmable petrol heaters for front and rear compartments <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :hat --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... s/pimp.gif ALT=":hat"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
<br>
And an air cooled V8! Schwing! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :p --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... tongue.gif ALT=":p"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

<p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.antchip.com/sig2.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>
<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>Crazy! I mean like so many positive waves, we can't lose! You're on!</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></span><!--EZCODE FONT END--></p><i></i>